Groaning I rolled over in my bed and grabbed aimlessly at my bedside table for my mobile phone. I heard it fall to the floor with a thud causing me to groan even more. Turning on my bedside light I spotted it lighting up at me, picking it up I pressed the answer button as I fell back onto my pillows.

"Hello."

"Lyssa! I need your help."

I scrambled my brain as to who it was but then I realised. "Ayli? Why are you ringing me at like-" I paused before looking over at Chlo's bedside clock. "One in the afternoon. Crap." I added under my breath. Curse me working at night, it totally messes up my sleeping pattern.

"Anyway, Lyss, can you help! You know how you're my bestest ever friend and that I love you lots, so will you help? I'll even buy you shoes and we both know how much you love them." Ayli laughed.

"Yeah sure," I agreed without the slightest clue as to what I had agreed to. Knowing me it isn't something good.

"You're the best! I'll get the girls together, we'll be at yours for two. Loves you, Lyss."

With that Ayli hung up on me, leaving me thoroughly confused apart from the fact I had to get myself up and dressed. I crawled out of bed, switched my light off and went to take a shower to wake me up.

Once I was awake I put on shorts, a strappy top and picked the green hoodie up off the side, tying it around my waist before heading downstairs. There were shouts and giggling coming from the garden and as I made myself cereal I could see Ade chasing after Hayden along with Chloe and her best friend and Albus' sister; Lily Potter.

"Ahh the kracken has arrived from her pit," Ade laughed as she came over just as I had dropped into one of the garden chairs.

I pulled a face at her which she pulled back. "Haha, Adriana," I muttered using her full name. "I was working at the pub last night and Ayli just made me agree to something."

"Yay!" I said sarcastically. "What's so exciting about turning nineteen? I mean eighteen I can understand since you're legally an adult in the muggle world and you can drink and stuff. But nineteen, there's not a lot of good being nineteen."

The three of them stuck their tongues out at me just as Hayden ran at me and hugged my knees.

"Say bye to auntie Lyssa and auntie Chloe, Hayden," Ade told him.

"Byeeee." My nephew grinned at me, in a cute but crazy way.

I frowned at Ade. "Where you off to?"

"Zoo, rawr," Hayden replied before Ade got the chance.

I nodded in response as I heard the familiar voice of my best friend; Ayli Finnigan come from within the kitchen.

"Have fun," I called as Ade bundled up Hayden and sneaked out through the side gate otherwise she wouldn't be able to leave once Ayli caught sight of Hayden. Mainly because Ayli loves kids and wants god knows how many when she meets the right guy, so for now she's happy to coo and spoil Hayden. Which of course he loves.

"LYSSA!" she screamed when she saw me as she came running up and hugged me from behind just as I ate a spoonful of cereal.

"Ayli," I replied in normal tones as I put my dish on the garden table. "What's this about a party? And did you mention shoes?"

Her wicked smile appeared as she dropped into the seat next to me, from within a carrier bag she produced a shoe like box prizing off the lid. Inside was the most gorgeous pair of shoes I had ever seen, they were cream high heels with flowers on the side at the top.

I blinked in case I was seeing things. "About that party..."

Ayli smiled wickedly again. "I was thinking maybe in that nightclub in town, the new-ish one. What's it called?"

I was too busy staring at the shoes to reply but then in came to me. "Is it Rave?" Ayli made a noise in agreement as I took my new shoes out of their box and tried them on, perfect fit! "Ayli, it's official I love you!" I proclaimed as I walked off into the house to show them off to whoever was there. Turns out no one was except our fluffy white cat; Snowflake who sniffed them in delight, but after realising they weren't food she shuffled off.

As I walked back outside I found our four friends, including Rose and Dominique (our ex-roommates from Hogwarts and also Weasley's), Briana Kent (who I work with) and Caleb Jacobs (our bestest boy friend) were all here and ready to party plan.

I was glad when Mum came out with a jug of her home made lemonade and a bunch of glasses for all of us, it made it feel that teeny bit more like summer. "You girls have fun."

Caleb didn't even complain at this because he is one of the girls and always has been. Funny story, mum once thought he was my boyfriend until he came over our house with his boyfriend (who is now long gone) at the time.

"Nice shoes," Dom commented as she moved her hair out of her face to look at them better.

Laughing Ayli said, "She needed persuading. Bargain they were as well, one of the reason I love my mother and her shop. She's got new stock coming in soon so there's going to be a huge sale and I've got new designs for you all to look over."

"Oh you know I will, Ay," I told her as I sat down as Rose took out a note book, a large sheet of paper and loads of coloured pens from within her small bag, "Chloe helped me with a few designs and I've still got ideas for winter."

"Great! We can get going with them another time though, my birthday needs planning."

I rolled my eyes as I took my new shoes off slipping them back into the box so they wouldn't get ruined. Ayli's mother Niamh owns this little boutique just along the road from The Leaky Cauldron, where her dad Seamus works. Mrs Finnigan makes nearly everything she sells and along with Ayli's help and mine she helps brings our designs to life.

Ayli picked a pen and in the middle of the paper she wrote 'Ayli's Birthday' and put a bubble around it."Right, ideas people!"

A smirk played on Dom's lips, before she said what she was actually thinking, "How about a stripper?"

***

As Chloe and Lily weren't actually going to be there for Ayli's birthday what with the small fact they're both under age, they had drifted off to sunbathe on the grass after Ayli turned down Dom's suggestion of a stripper. Rose came up with decent ideas as she's the sensible one out of us and so it all got written on the paper.

The afternoon went on as we sat under the umbrella at the patio table, once the main details were sorted it soon turned to talking about party outfits. Chloe and Lily came back to sit with us as they had brought out sandwiches and crisps courtesy of mum.

I pulled the hoodie from around my waist and put it on as I was a bit chilly thanks to the sun going behind the clouds. Ayli was already drawing away, the top of the paper labelled 'Alyssa's outfit'. So far it was corset type thing with a net skirt, I knew by the time she finished drawing it would look great and be even better once she and her mother had made it.

I went indoors to get peanut butter because I love the stuff, to go with my sandwich. Opening the fridge I found that it was nearly empty, sighing I made a mental note to tell my mother that either her or dad needed to go food shopping once again. Grabbing the jar along with the spoon I went back outside.

"Eww," Dom muttered pulling a face, as she saw me eating it straight from the jar.

I poked my tongue out at her, like the child that I am and she did it back to me. Dom pulled even more faces as I spread it on the bread and took a packet it of cheese and onion crisps, crushed them and sprinkled them on top before squishing it together and taking a bite.

"Urgh," Lily complained snapping me and Dom out of it. "Can they not do that, I mean as if it isn't enough they walk around the house like it."

Rose turned to her cousin with a confused expression. "Huh? What are you on about, Lil?"

Lily rolled her brown eyes. "My brothers of course, honestly I'm starting to think that neither one of them knows what clothes are."

I had to blink twice because I was a little amazed by what I was seeing, the last time I had seen Albus Potter with out a top on was back when he was still a scrawny little kid. But now? He was built better and no longer scrawny and he had muscles, he looked good, really good.

To make matters even worse his older brother James was also topless and apparently mowing the lawn since I could smell fresh grass. Rose shook her head as myself, Bri, Chloe and Caleb were all a little transfixed by the Potter boys.

"Really guys, they're my cousins?"

"And my brothers!" Lily protested as she got up and crossed the garden until she got to the fence. "Put some bloody clothes on will you!" she yelled at them, in reply they both shrugged.

Lily stamped her foot in frustration and yelled before coming back to where we were sat. "Eurgh!"

"Oi, Lyss!" Albus yelled as he came and leaned against the fence. " I want my hoodie back mind, I didn't give it to you to keep."

I felt myself blush because I hadn't realised it was his, I just thought it was one of mine. Since I haven't seen him around I hadn't found the time to give it back to him, I admit I thought it felt a little big when I big when I put it on and the sleeves were too long. Then again knowing me I could have thought it was Ade's as she sometimes brings her washing over for mum to do and me and Chloe accidentally get her stuff.

Everyone turned to look at me, including his brother, as I was chewing my sandwich I couldn't speak until I swallowed and even then I didn't make much sense. "Sorry, you can have it back once I've washed it."

Albus shrugged. "No rush, Lyss. Bring it over when it's clean."

I nodded slowly. "Sure."

Behind him I could see his older brother smirking, they exchanged a wordless glance and Albus smirked back at us before heading back to his house. The second he had gone all eyes turned to me, well all except Bri because she was still staring at James.

Dom raised her perfectly shaped blonde eyebrows at me. "Well?"

I ate another spoonful of peanut butter before answering, "Well what?"

"Great! Tell your brother and Scorpius they're invited as well as are the Wood brothers."

"Will do, Ayli."

Great, I thought sarcastically, what fun Ayli's birthday is going to be now that he's coming. She knows we don't speak any more and whilst we don't hate each other we don't like each other either, talk about awkward.

What was going to be a fun afternoon soon turned awkward because of Albus, and I can't believe I'm saying this but I wish I was working right now.

My thoughts were of what I was going to get Ayli for her birthday when Lorcan came wandering in. He glanced at the house before heading straight for Chlo, who he greeted with a kiss.

I pulled a face. "Blurgh."

"Ahh young love," Albus said happily. "How sweet."

I looked at him in disgust. "Um that's my baby sister, it is not cute and it is not sweet especially when you know stuff that you really shouldn't." I shuddered at the thought. "And anyway if that was Lily you wouldn't be as happy either."

Albus smirked, when he did so I noticed a little dimple that had appeared. Cute I guess.

"What is it, Lyss? Have I grown an extra head or something?" he asked and I blinked.

"Huh?" I answered stupidly as I saw that all of them apart form Lorcan and Chloe who were still locked at the lips, looking at me.

It was Caleb who answered from behind me as I felt him tie a bobble around the end of the braid he had created, "You were staring at Al, Lyss."

"Yeah, he had something on his face, a fly. It's gone now," I lied as Caleb sat down. "I'll be back now."

I jumped up and went into the dining room before rushing through the kitchen to get to the downstairs toilet. Locking the door I leaned against it before sliding down until I hit the floor.

"Ow," I moaned softly as I realised what an idiot I was. How on earth could I think Albus' dimple cute? And that he had a nice body? I mean I've known him since I was little and there has definitely never been a time that I thought he was cute.